All 22 Google’s April Fools Jokes in 2012

Google has never failed to amuse us with its pranks on April fool’s day for years. This has become part of the culture of the high tech company which is innovative enough to make Google Glasses, but at the same time humane enough to play these pranks. In between these jokes it keeps of adding new easter eggs to remain popular and showcase its technical capabilities.

Just like last year, this year also individual Google teams from various regions had pranks on different products. Let us see all 22 of them them one by one –

1. YouTube Collection

YouTube offered all its videos in DVD form for offline viewing. Once you place an order, they will deliver each one of video ever uploaded in a fleet of 175 trucks. For commenting, you can fill out paper forms and mail them to the uploader address. Check it out here.

2. Google Really Advance Search

Google search makes to an all-new level with Really Advance Search where you can find sites with words that “almost, but not quite entirely unlike” or “rhyming slang for” or “this exact word or phrase, whose sum of unicode code points is a mersenne prime” the word you have entered. You can also narrow down search by font, background texture and all impossible options. Though, this prank page in now taken off, you can still view its cached copy from here.

3. Underwater Image Search

Google Chine team has come up with underwater image search which is an excellent example of HTML5 and JS interactivity. Clicking on “I’m feeling lucky” button drops Google gold coins and other treasure in the ocean. Don’t forget to play with waves and search results here.

4. Qingming Search on Google China

When searched for Qingming in Google China, you will notice a beautiful animated background. [note: it works only in Chrome]

5. 8-bit Google Maps

The low resolution graphics version of Google Maps for NES is the funniest of all jokes. These 8-bit maps also have some hidden monsters. Check them out here.

6. Google Translate IME

Japan team also came up with an IME prank which uses only a single key to input in Morse code for transliteration. Check out the below video with English subtitles by clicking cc on the player.

7. Gmail Tap

Inspired by the Japanese IME prank, Gmail team came up with better form of typing via Morse code through Gmail Tap. They went too far by introducing 2 sets of tap buttons to type 2 mails at once!

8. Google Street Roo

Google Australia came up with the unique concept of installing 360 degree cameras on heads of thousands of kangaroos to capture the street view of inlands. Read the official announcement here.

Google recommends webmasters to optimize their site for smart phones as well as rotary phones.

11. Google Apps Jargon Bot

Google Apps understand the pain of normal users that fails to comprehand the complex jargon of business world. Therefore they have introducedJargon Bot that translates your docs, chats and emails into plain English.

12. Search Option Era-wise

On 1st April 2012, various users have noticed “Jurassic Era”, “Victorian Era”, “Enlightenment”, “Once Upon a Time”, “New Kingdom Era” in their search options depending on the queries.

13. Chrome Mutlitask Mode

Chrome team has introduced a new promising feature Multitask Mode that lets you increase productivity by letting you use multiple mice at the same time.

14. Google Onebox – Change the Weather

So for you had the ability to see the current weather conditions, now Google lets you change it.

15. Google App Engine – Cloud API

Cloud API from the App Engine gives developers the control over the actual clouds and naturally on the rains.

16. Google Analytics – Interplanetary Reports

Google Analytics team is all set to help webmasters by providing details of alien visitors. Currently GA provides information of site visitors from earth but now they are expanding their capabilities to the whole galaxy by offering interplanetary reports.

17. Google Self-Driving Cars to NASCAR

Google cofounder Sergey Brin nearly scared everyone by announcing that their real self-driving cars will now participate in NASCAR. They named the project as Google Racing.

18. Google Fiber Bar

Everyone was wrong. Google wasn’t laying fiber cables in Kansas city for ultra-fast internet of 1Gbps but they were actually making Fiber Bar that have 100 times more fiber than any source of fiber available today.

19. Google Voice for Pets

Now record a voice of your dog/cat directly via special voice communications collar around pet necks with Google Voice for Pets.

20. Google HR – Canine Hiring Process

Google HR department revealed the details of its Canine Hiring Process and claims that it is so rigorous that it equals the processes involved in getting a human job at Google. They quote

Bloodhounds are a natural fit for Search, while Rottweilers are often drawn to our corporate security positions.

21. Google TV Click

Who says you can’t control the television? Change the course of Titanic or make Neo chose the blue pill in Matrix or anything that you want with Google TV Click.

22. Google Play on Android

The Android team deliberately messed up with the search of the popular artists. I think Rihana will be offended by this prank.

My favorites are 8-bit maps and YouTube collection. Tell us in your comments what do you like the most.

Get Google Updates

Every Sunday, we send out "Google This Week" newsletter which covers all the latest and important updates from Google. First, we curate information from authentic and verified sources and then write the newsletter in an easy to understand format with images and summary for each update.

Join 9000+ subscribers following their favorite company in a simpler and easier way. Join Now ›